


The Devine Retribution

by BriEva



Category: Dark-Hunter Series - Sherrilyn Kenyon
Genre: Alternate Universe - Dark, F/M, Gen, Implied/Referenced Rape/Non-con, Not Beta Read, Past Abuse, Past Sexual Abuse, Promises, Rescue, What-If, vengence
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-01-13
Updated: 2019-01-13
Packaged: 2019-10-09 03:25:12
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Rape/Non-Con
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,728
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17399132
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/BriEva/pseuds/BriEva
Summary: As an Atlantian, Bethany had no choice. She made a promise, she had to keep it, or else she would die.She would keep it at all costs.





	The Devine Retribution

**Author's Note:**

> So this is another Dark Hunter One Shot. Again based on a what if situation in Styxx. Only this one is set when Bethany set Styxx free from the arena in Atlantis. It’s about the vengeance she seeks in retaliation for how wrong her people have attacked Styxx.

  
  


**January 11, 9527 BC**

 

_ I shouldn’t be doing this _ …Bethany thought as she returned to her home in Kataeros after her argument with Apollo. Furious at him she left in a huff, he said he would only release Styxx from his wrongful slavery if Styxx kneeled before him and begged for forgiveness. She would have agreed to the deal...if only she didn’t see the malicious gleam in his eye. For all, she knew he had a lot of wiggle room with that deal. At first glance it was a rather simple request, but to a god...things are never this simple.

 

Changing her form once again to her blond apollite appearance Bethany entered her temple with as much of her anger contained as possible. She needed to get Styxx to a safe location, and fast. Once Apollo realizes that she has no intention of making Styxx comply with his deal he would turn her mother’s family against her. 

 

Well, maybe not her mother, but the rest of their family would turn on her in an instant. Her dual heritage has caused her to always be the odd one out of this side of her family, making her the second strongest allowed for many of the Atlanteans to fear her wrath. The only three who never feared her were Apollymi, her mother Symfora and Dikastis-her fellow justice god. Though only Apollymi out of those three has more power than Bethany.

 

Entering her sleeping chambers Bethany felt a single moment of panic when she did not instantly catch sight of Styxx, she only calmed once she saw the balcony door was open that she knew where he’d gone.

 

She pushed the door farther ajar to see him sitting in a corner with his legs drawn up to his chest and his arms wrapped around them. Appearing more vulnerable than she’d ever seen him he stared out across the valley and was so still he looked more like a statue than a fierce warrior prince.

 

“Styxx?”

 

He said nothing, but he glanced over to her. She walked slowly towards him.

 

Unmoving, he watched her warily.

 

“Apollo says the only way he will release you of this is if you beg for it on your knees…” He voice trailed off as she took a calming breath. “But...I’m a goddess of Justice, of Vengeance and Wrath. You should  _ not  _ have to beg for your freedom, it should never have been taken from you.” A stab of guilt slashes through her heart as she remembered her role in his imprisonment. Her pride as a goddess forgotten, Bethany kneeled before her broken prince. Raising her eyes filled with anguish and stunning her human she spoke. “You have been wronged, to a degree that shames me to be a part of this patheon. I will do right by you Styxx, if you so desire. I will enact vengeance upon all those who wronged you during your enslavment. I will bring you your Bethany and set you in a place where no one can touch either one of you. All I ask...is for a little time. Once I know you will be safe I swear you will once again have Bethany in your life.”

 

Styxx couldn’t breath as he watched the blond goddess who once called for his head kneeling before him. In all his life he had never seen such a sight. Here was a goddess, one of immense power from what he has heard over his time in Atlantis, willing to throw it all away in order to right a wrong by him.

 

Not a devout follower of her’s or one of her people.

 

Someone who almost destroyed her country in war.

 

It was mind boggling, considering that all the gods hated him. They’ve used him and abused him for his entire life. There was no way this was real.

 

This has to be part of a trick.

 

“You’re lying.”

 

“I’m not. Say you demand vengeance and it will be your’s.” She spoke with such conviction that it took him a moment to speak as he ground his teeth with rising anger.

 

“At what price?” He snarled as he eyed her with suspicion. “You want to fuck me too?”

 

She evaded his question. “One day while we were at still at war with one another I saw you turn against your fellow Greeks to save my Atlanteans. You slew them for daring to attack a young girl and even walked my people to safety. To this day it has haunted me how honorable that action was. And when I discovered what happened to you...the things my family, my people, have done to you and put you through.” Tears of fury and horror marred her perfect features. “Never before had I felt so  _ ashamed _ .” The agony in her gaze, the way she moved her head...for a moment he thought he saw his Beth kneeling before him, but he knew better.

 

“I need to save you Styxx. From this life that you have been cursed into. I fear I will drive myself into insanity if I were to knowingly look away. Please highness, if you so ask for vengeance I swear it will be yours.”

 

It took him a long while before he answered her, and with each beat of her heart she felt fear creep into her spine. She had to protect him, from Apollo, from his family, her family...from everyone. Iif he turned her away how could she keep him safe?

 

“My brother…” She jerked her head at the unexpected words. Bethany still had trouble processing the fact that he has a brother, one that he never spoke of before. Having learned of his existence from Apollo…  _ “They’re trained whores!” _ The Greek Sun God shouted at her.

 

“Him and my sister, can you assure me that they too will be safe?”

 

For a full moment, Bethany couldn’t help but process the meaning of his words. From everything, she knew of Styxx his siblings, or at least his sister, had hated him. She knew he held no love for his father, but still. For Styxx to be given a chance at happiness and to extend that happiness to his family that despises him. Though she knew he didn’t include his father, she would extend her next promise to him. And that to someone she knows Styxx truly loves.

 

She nods, “I’ll protect your family Styxx. And that of your mentor, Galen. It will be hard but I will do everything I can to keep them safe.”

 

Too many promises, too little time. She wasn’t a goddess of fate but-

 

Fate.

 

Apostolos.

 

Suddenly Bethany felt her mind whirl as she felt the world tilt from the insanity of her plan. It would be dangerous, especially for Styxx but she had promised him vengeance. As an atlantean god she is bound to keep her vows or else she will die.

 

Standing to her full height Bethany gently held out her hand. 

 

After a moment of consideration, Styxx took it.

 

She flashed them to her Theban temple where neither Apollo nor her Atlantean family was allowed. Aside from her mother of course. 

 

The sudden flash disturbed Styxx, that was easy to see since his eyes darted around the glamorous room. Time was of the essence now, she could not afford for Styxx to run rampant.  Bethany used her powers to lull him into a stupor, he swayed on his feet as his eyes drooped and his body relaxed. Gently taking his hand she led him to her chambers, making sure to use her powers to close all the curtains before they walked through the sunlight. She settled him into her bed for rest and sleep. His unconsciousness should help prevent Apollo from discovering his location. So long as she kept him from the sun the God would not be able to see where Styxx is either. If he should stay in such a state until she can get him to the one place Apollo can never hurt him.

 

Once she was sure he would be in a deep sleep that would last several hours she allowed her true god form to return the summoned her Aunt Ma’at and her father. While her hand gently brushed aside her broken prince’s hair from his forehead, It had grown during their time apart, framing his beautiful face in long locks. It would have to be cut again, he hates having his hair long.

 

Her father and Aunt’s participation in this would be crucial, if she failed to gather Apollymi’s favor then she would make sure that her father would protect Styxx and explain to him the truth about her. 

 

It was the only way to keep her promise.

 

“Aunt Ma’at,” Bethany called out, using her powers to locate her location and send a signal to her aunt. It took only an instant before the shorter goddess arrived. Green eyes widened in shock at the sight of a naked man in Bethany’s bed.

 

“Child…” Whispered her aunt in horror, as she never took men to her temple in Egypt. To do so would bring her fathers wrath among him, which was what was about to happen as he appeared. It took everything she could think of to protect Styxx from her father as she explained the situation.

 

By the time Bethany was through with explaining everything to her father, she could barely stand.

 

“It’s not right,” she whispered. “He’s my heart, papas, my heart! When I’m with him I can truly smile, laugh and cry. Seeing him in pain infuriates me so much...I can’t let this continue! I won’t!” She cried as determined tears streamed down her cheeks. “I will protect him! I will keep my promise! So please...please papas, help me. I-I can’t do this alone.”

 

Set was silent for a moment as Bethany waited to see how he would react. Telling him about Styxx, about what her mother had done to him...it was only the tip of the iceberg. She left only the intimate details out.

  
Returning to Greece she held in her powers as much as she could without losing her sight, in the disguise of a cleaning servant Bethany traveled to check in on Styxx's family to ensure their current places. Galen was in the barracks.

 

But it was the princess and princess that frightened her. For Ryssa belonged to Apollo, his by ritual and their son...she promised to ensure their safety and at this moment the safest thing was for her to stay with Apollo. If she stole them he would kill Ryssa.

 

As for Styxx's brother...she thought as she saw him through the mirror.

 

Oh!

 

Quickly she turned before he could meet her gaze, for doing so would not be good at this point.

 

It took her a moment to collect her thoughts and understand what she saw and sensed but now she knows what she needs to do. The only way to protect her family and Styxx's.

 

It took a while for Bethany to gather her wits but she once again ventured alone into Kolasis. This time she made sure to start her search for Apollymi in her garden.

 

Luckily enough she was right.

 

Wearing a hauntingly beautiful black gown that draped across her body like water Apollymi is a definite vision. Her long white blond hair was free, falling against her back as she glared at Bethany with a glacial expression on her face. Her silver swirling eyes narrowed as Bethany stepped closer to the Atlantean goddess of Life, Death, and Wisdom.

 

“Again with the visits? What are you doing here?” Apollymi snarled as Bethany stopped her advancement.

 

“I’m here to keep my promise.” 

 

Summoning her bow Bethany held it with two hands as she kneeled before Apollymi slowly while she bowed her head. The submissive pose was one that could cost Bethany her head if she said the wrong thing.

 

“I did not incarcerate you or hunt your son, Apollymi. You know this. The one time I thought I’d stumbled upon him, I came to you with that information and not the others. I never breathed a word to them against either of you.” Daring to lift her gaze Bethany eyed the one goddess she knew who could destroy her in nothing more than a breath. “I’m a goddess of vengeance, one of wrath just as you are. In your situation, you and your son have been wronged. I come to you today to offer you an alliance, a way to bring upon your vengeance that I know you deserve to deal out among our family.”

 

Apollymi laughed humorously at the sight. In all her years of imprisonment, she never thought that Bet’anya would grovel at her feet in order to survive. As a cruel goddess that Apollymi could respect that Bethany held so much pride in her that seeing this act was the most amusing thing, she had ever seen.

 

“Oh, and how could you help bring upon my vengeance? My son is nearly grown, there is no more time for you beg for and my patience wears thin. What could you offer me?”

 

“The only known general who has ever won a war against our home. I offer you the military expertise of Styxx of Didymos to train your army in ways what will fill you with wonder and awe. Had our family not resort to dirty deeds and tricks he would have taken over our home by himself. His mind is brilliant, his thirst for vengeance against our family nearly rivals yours. I promised him his vengeance and the only way I see that he should get it is by serving his sword to fight for you. With him leading your army of Charote no one will stand against you. He fights in a way that is both beautiful as it is horrifying in its deadliness. A real asset to anyone winning a war.”

 

Interesting...Apollymi thought of as she tried to see what could be so wrong about this deal. “You came to me before about this human, what if you try to sway him against me? Have him turn on me while in the middle of storming our beloved heavens?”

 

“He won’t.”

 

“You don’t know this.”

 

“I do.”

 

“And what evidence do you have for this belief in such a human?”

 

“I promised him his siblings protection from the oncoming war.” Bethany breathed out softly and noticed how Apollymi froze. “His brother and sister despise him to a degree that I can’t understand, yet when I offered him vengeance he wanted them spared and given happy lives. When I went to see them I made a discovery that I will not speak for fear of what chaos it will ensure.” Daring to lift her eyes she showed the truth of her serenity towards the more powerful goddess. “His brother, Acheron, I will ensure that he learns how to use his abilities to their fullest before he frees you from here. In return for hiding Acheron and training him allow Styxx to hide here and train your army. Then once you are freed...Spare my mother and I. She has not searched for your son anymore then I have. I will ensure that she will no longer be apart of the Atlantean Pantheon and I will identify myself only as an Egyptian Goddess from then forth. As such your promise to destroy the Atlantean’s will be full filled and mine of vengeance will too.”

 

There, Bethany had spoken her plan of betrayal and retribution. It was risky, but once she discovered that Acheron was Apostolos everything fell into place. He had not learned how to use his powers and, while one of Apollymi’s servants could teach him how to use his abilities, it would only be the basics. With Bethany teaching him Apostolos will be all the more deadly in the upcoming war.

 

But now Bethany had to find a way to save her mother. Though she learned of her mother's cruelty towards Styxx, for she never tried to free him though she did not harm him...she couldn’t bring herself to wish her mother dead. There was still time though, time to save her mother, to train Apolstolos, to save Styxx.

 

Only if Apollymi accepts this deal though.

  
  


**Author's Note:**

> I started this forever ago, and just can't seem to get rid of it. I'm satisfied with it for now but may expand in the future.
> 
> For those of you wondering what Bethany's original plan was, she was going to just offer Styxx to serve Apollymi's army. But I wanted her to have greater leverage and discovering Acheron's identity would be the key to it. The real betrayal, she never PROMISED to look for Acheron. Only that she would keep Epi's secret, so she isn't going against canon by doing this. 
> 
> I had also originally believed her mother had a part in Styxx's torture but was later corrected. But still even though she didn't participate that is still bad because she didn't try to help Styxx at all. And unlike Bethany, Sym'phora would be a part of Apollymi's promise. So trying to unidentify as a part of that pantheon is the only way I can think of her not dying.


End file.
